THE

SOLDIER'8 RIGHT TO VOTE.

WHO OPPOSES IT? WHO FAVORS IT?

OB,

THE RECORD OF THE

MCLELLAN COPPERHEADS
Against allowing the Soldier who fights, the Bight to Vote
while fighting.

[PREPARED FOR THE UNION CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE,]

By William B. Chandler, of N. n.

WASHINGTON;
PRINTED BY LEMUEL TOWERS-
1864.
 THE SOLDIER'S RIGHT TO VOTE.

WHO OPPOSES IT? WHO FAVORS IT?

If the Soldiers will Vote the Copperhead Ticket and Indorse the
Chicago Surrender Traitors because George B.
to Mc-
Clellan is the Candidate for President, why
don't the Copperheads advocate giving
them the rigid so to vote-.

^BR^H^lVl LINCOLN
And his Friends are NOT afraid to Trust the Soldiers.

Why are George B. McClellan and his Friends afraid to Trust them ?

SOLDIERS! LOOK AT THE COPPERHEAD RECORD!

No argument can be adduced more convincing to the candid mind that

4he realmotives which actuate and control the McClellan politicians are
base, unpatriotic, and known by themselves to be destructive of the best
inierest of the country, than their bitter and unyielding hostility enter-
tained always, and boldly exhibited whenever they dare Ofare forced pub-
licly 10 declare th>mselves against the right of the soldiers in the army to
vote as well as fight to exercise some contiol by voting over the manage-
;

mi-nt of that Government which they are fighting to preserve.

The Copperh' ad leaders know that the soidiejs who are perilling their
lives arc undergoing bitter hardships, are witnessing the death of their
comrades on the battle field for the salvation of the country, are not to be
deceived in relanon to the great issues which are involved in the mighty
J
'
conflict of arms, now engaging the attention of the whole world, between
the soldiers of a free Republic, of a People's Government, and the armiee
• of a pro-slavery, rebellious despotism. Knowing, therefore, that the sol-
diers, if they vnte in the field, will vote patriotically, regardless of old party
ties, and that no glittering generalities of craltdy woided letters of acctp-
ance can blind the intelligent soldier to the essential treason of a paity plat-
form like that ad^pieJ at Chicago, and suppmted by every rebel and traitor,
North and South, the Copperhead Democracy have not hesitated to op-
 \

poee, by every means in their power, all attempts to confer upon solJieis
in the fleM the ri^ht to vole.
The methods of this opposition of the Coppeiheads have been VHrious.
They feai the boldieis and therefore oppose their light to vote, secretly and
by indirection when they can, but openly if they must. Enrly in tlie re-
bellion, when in some Stati-s the Deraucr:itic p;iily pretended to support the
war, they even went so far as likewise to pr- tend lu a willirgnets tu allow
tlie soliiiera to vote in the field, but when they believed they saw opportu-
'
ities to m;ike pMliticfil capital out of the m. series of their countiy, to ob-
tain political power for Dera .crats by rcasi^n of 8ucees^ive defeats of Union
armies, and by the ahseni'c from ihn polls of Union voters on the hnttle- -.

field, then they immediaii-ly exieniled tho^e '" lOnstitutional bcrnples," .

v
which ihey have ao hypocritically advanced against every distinctive itd-
miiiistrative measure adopted by Abraham Lincuin for prosecuting the
war with effect and putting down the rebellion, to all propositions to con-
fer apOa the s-ldieis the field the right to vote.
in
They have pretended to be willing the soldiers fhould vote in the field
if they might constitutionally do S', and ytt have opposed Kmendrnints of
the Coustitution which wonid allow the right. They have affected lo fear
thai, allowing soldiers to vote in the field would Oe pioduciivn of frauds,
but tio piesihie .safejiuards. against fraud that cnn he devised and pnipusod
to ihem, are suffie.ient to remove their pr. tended fears. lu fact it is an ir-
resiilJe coni-lusioD fruui the whole Coppeihead recoid on ihetubject of the
right of the soldier to vote in the field.

First. That thepreteniled McClellan Dem-

coi/siituiional scruples of the
Orats, their affected fear ot frauds, ;-nd the advocacy of impracnc^hle and
destructive amendments have all been decciilul, hase, fnlse-heaiieH, and
Cowardly assaults in the raar upon the suldier; ihat ^hnt they aie most
afraid of is not the casting ot u>icrmstituti>/iial and tUeiyol voltes in ih« field,
but that casting of the ctinstinitioval and lejul votes of the sold cis, which
will in November overwiieliii ai.d annihilate McUlellaii, Pendlelun and the
infamuua Onic.igo sunender lo traitors.
Sicond. TiiHt the Coppeihegd leaders have bad no corfidence whatever
in tlieirhoasnugs thnt M. Ciellan will cany the vote of the Army, but at
heart have known and fell ihat their infatnous scliemts of deftnyiug the
Union ami el^tabli^hlllg a siutherfi ci^nfederaie dfspolisin cou <l on.y be.
accomplished by deceiving the people who will vote at home and by depriv-
ing tlie SOLDIERS cionl'roi.ting the Him es of the rebellion of the power to
dej'cat their treasoiuible pluim by voting in the field.

Third. That, therefore, although democrats at some time may have pre-
tended, hypiiciitically, to fivo. the soldiers' light to vote while secretly at-
tempting to pi event and destroy it, or may, through cowardly fear, have
d.ied m^kK 1,0 oip.isltioii where it wi u'd have been fruitlefs, yet ihat the
\
actual positive pre.-^ent position of the C pperhead party and of Ge^ rc/e B.
McOleHaii, wh.', hoi, III, g Ins commission as Major G-ueial in ilie Union
Army, a<ks tor the snttrnges >( the » Idies of that army, is that of open, I
undisi/ui'-ed^rdeniliSS hostiliti/ ti> therghtof the Unon soldiei- to vote
simply and fur ihe'reoson that they believe the great mojoriti/ oj the
solely
soli/iers of the Army are
not for George B. Mc.Clellun and the Copperheads,
hut .ire for A-BHAHAM LINCOLN, the CONSTITUTION and the
UNION.
 MAINE.
In tliePine Tre** State with 30 Repub'io*n and 1 DemO'-rstio Senator
an-d a 121 RspubtioHii and 29 Dm
luiaii.- lep'^teenlativrg, ihe G 'I'l'*" ''«'"
S
aliliouifii bitterly lioslile to n^Ut df snldicis lo voif ui tlie fifU iii-de
lli>-

only H slii'W of oppimitii'D in ihe l-ijis'aiuie to a pr.i|iosfd nineijiliuHnt of

the SiHtc Constitution B-urin^ lie rigiit. • The v<.te lie'ore the peop'^, liow-
erer, rI owi tbiit even 17,1)00 inajoiiiy f'lr ihe Union enndilMie for <i v--f-
nor did not prevent the Copperheid lio ti'ity iron, nmnil. sung it elf.

In the whole State ihe vole wrti, G .v. C-mv. 62 389; Howard, 4H,476.
Conbtituiional Aaiendneiit, Y s, 64430; N.', 19.127.

The whole Union vote and ah'ut 2 000 other vi.I.b were catt for the
amendment, about 20,000 UeinO' rats boldly voted against il, and aliout
halt'th.-ir voters did not vote at all.
In the counties, th^' vote for H^'waid wmb iha
oities, »nd town-, where
lartjHEt,there wns he largest vote against ihe 4mnidiiwnt and 'he vote or»
the ain-rt Iment striking y lorrespon Is lo ihe vote lor Governor.
In York county, always D-inocralic ontil one year ajjo, the vote was;

Cony. Howahd. Yes. No.

York 6484 5903 6425 4024
Bangor, (the 2d city iu the StHie).. . ItiGrf 79l 1730 750
JVlfied 153 156 J50 150
Ber^-ick 198 202 201 197
Dayton 74 103 74 100
NewHeld 144 ,
171 146 162
Mo. Berwick 138 192 142 183
Parfontield 190 246 188 2:^5
feandfoio 210 267 214 258
Waterborough 180 236 l60 225

And 80 the vote proceeds with no iiajorities against the amendment e«-
cepl in Oopperhead towns.
JosEi'H HowAKD, the Copperhead candidate for Oovervnr, voted boldly
and openly against tlie amendiueni ; also Manasseh Smith, oandklate id
1861 Phineab Barnes, n>w a McClejan
;
D
uoocrat and a former candi-
date lor Governor; James W. Bradbury, tinmerlv Democralio United
Stales Senator; James S. Wiley, foniieily Democrat c member of Con-
gress from the B.inuoi district ; the editor of the Saco Democrat, and many
ether prominent D.-mocralp.
ll' Maine had given 17,000 majority for Joseph Howard instead of for

Governor Cony, wonld the Maine Boldiers have voted ou the 8th of
November ? Let the record answer.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.
In ihe Granite State, the ancient Gibrajar of New England Democracy,
the right fur soldiers to vote in the field for Pr^Bid-ntial elecori> and repro-
aei'tativrS in Congress, has been secur- d only by the most determined per-
sistency OQ the put of the Union Bepnb iuana nodcr most discoaiaging
circumstances.
 In 1862 the Union members of the Lpgislature attempted to pa«s a bill
allowing soldiers to vote in the field for Stat- and National cfiBct-rs. The
bill was opposed by the Cop|jerhead3 as unconstitutional and as " turni.-h-
ing the means for the destructioa of the Ireedum and purity of elections,
for overthrowing our free institutions and establisMng in their place as —
—
chance may dictate either anarchy or despotism." The only test vote
was 165 Union yeas, 123 Cop^erheHd nays but the Supreme Court having
;

decided the bill unconstitutional, the subject was postponed to the next
session.
In 1864 a bill allowing soldiers to vote for Presidential electors and re-
presentatives in Congress, was introduced by the Union members and
passed. The Supreme Court decided the same to be constitutional. The
Copperheads opposed the bill in every possible form, and every moiion
relative to it was carried by a strict party vote, —
about 176 Union to 106
Copperhead votes.
During the debate the remnant of the battle-flag of the New Ilfimpsliire
Eleventh Regiment, which was rescued from the rebels in the desperate
fight in the exploded mine at Petersburg, was brought into the Hall and
received with prolonged cheers from the Repnblieans; the Democrats re-
maining silent as the prove.
William Littlb, a Democrat from Ward 5, Manchester, warned the
Republicans to beware of passing the bill, for the Demoiracy weie deter-
mined NOT TO SUBMIT to what they termed " violations of the Constitution"
by the Republicans, he asserting that attempts to pass soldier's voting bills
were "violations of the Constitution."
John G. Sinclair, also declared thai the Democracy of the country would
NE VER S UBMIT
to the result of an election decided against them by
SOLDIERS' votes.
After the passage of the bill the Copperheads induced the Governor to
enter into an unfortunate intrigue with them and to attempt to veto the
bill. The veto message was, however, sent to the House one day too lale,
»nd beit]g sent in an unusual way, by a Copperhead member instead of the
State Secretary, the House refused to receive it. Thereupon, the Copper-
*iead8 created a mob on the fl^ior of the House, interrupted business for
several hours by liotous bistuibanoes shoutng 'Revolution ! Rkvolo-
tion!" The Supreme Court decided »hat the veto message wassent
finally
too late, and that the bill was a law with-ut the sitmatuie of the Governor;
wheteupon the Copperheads insulted the Court, and HARRY
BINGHAM,
now a Copperhead candidate for elector, has denounced the Court as a po-
fitical brothel.
Ex-President Franklin Pierce, aided by his former law partner, Josiah )
Sfinot, Edward W. Harrington, Copperhead candidate for Governor, who
Sloped every Union soldier would come home in a box," and John H.
''^

George, who gays the South canno be conquered, and be thanks God tor f
H, lahored incessantly tf d-feat t*re soldins' right to vote.
If the Franklin Pierce, Genrge B. MeClellan democracy controlled New
Hampshire, how many of her soldiers would be permitted to vote in the
field ?

VERMONT.
In the Green Mountain State the Copperhead party is so tmall and weak
<h&t it dared not oppose the soldiers' right to vote which was promp ly
 secured to them by the Republican legislature. The Supreme Court htm
decided the bill to be constitutional only so far »a relates to voting for
President and Vice President and for members of Congress.

RHODE ISLAND.
In Rhode Island the right of the soldier to vote has been secured by an
amendment of the Constitution which was feebly opposed by the Demo-
cratic party at the vote before the people, but the Copperheads of Rhode
Island, like those of Vermont, are powerless for actual misehiet

CONNECTICUT.
Governor Buckingham, in 1862, urged the Ciwnecticut legislature to
pass a soldier's voting law. Such a bill was introduced and passed the
Senate without oppositiion, it being unanimously Republican, but was bit-
terly opposed by the Copperheads iu the House. Thty 'icmanded, and the
Unionists conceded, the intertion of a provision t^-at the law should not
take effect if determined by the Court to be UDconslilutional ; but after
such provision was inserted, the bill passed only by a strict party vote.
The Court decided, by the casting vote of its Chief Justice, a member of
the Copperhead McGlellan party, that the bill was not constitutional and
so the Copperheadi defeated the soldiers' franchise for that year.
Immediately the Uaionists commenced the work of amending the con-
Governor Buokingham recommended and the Union members
stitution.
unanimously favored it. The Copperheads unanimously opposed it aod
fought every step of its piogress. By a party vote it passed the successive
legislatures and was submitted to the people. The Copperhead newspa-
pers opposed it and openly appealed to their partisans to defeat it. By
these etfopts of the Copperheads a large vote was cist against it, but it was
•
carried, thanks to the friends of Abraham Lincoln, by a majority of 10,000;
and the soldiers of Connecticut will vote whether or not it suit such traitors
as Thomas H. Seymour and Isaac Toucey.

NEW YORK.
The history of the struggle to secure the brave sons of the " Empire
State" the right of suffrage, is fresh in the minds of all. On the 10th day
of February, 1863, a bill was introduced into the Assembly to allow the
soldiers to vote. On the 17th the Copperheads commenced their faciious
opposition to it by mictions to adjourn, &c., hoping thereby to stave it off
and defeat its passage. Tlie Union Men, however, managed -to secure a
rote which resulted in 65 Union Republican yean to 69 Copperhead nays.
On the next dav, ho 'vever, Governor Seymour came to the rescue of
"his friends" by VETOING THE BILL! accompanying his veto with a
message, which, for low craftiness and sophittiy, defies competition, and
is only equaled in its objects by another effort ot his addressed to the riot-

ers, plunderers, and murderers in New Ydrk city whom be styled as "MY
FRIENDS."
The Union men of the Empire State continued their efforts to secure
he soldiers the right to vote, and finally succeeded by an amendment of
the Constitution to accomplish that result, although the McClellan Do-
 mocracy raanifcated the same presistent and detennined opposition ak
their hrothor Copi)erheHds in Penncylvania and Ouio, by VOTING
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT of the CouBtitution by whioh thai right
was secured.
Tor^pay (jovcrnor Sevraoiir for his perfidy to th« Union soldier, the re-
te) agents at A'^io^ra and Chicago, made Lira Pbbsidknt and chief orator
'«f the McClellan ConveDiion ; although it was |iub ii-iy kuown that he wa*
in fu fnllowsliip with VulUndigham, the Woods, Long, and Ilatria, and
1

their pet candidate lor tlie Piesirlency.

New York! are you willing to cast your voles
Soldiers aud Citizens oi
forGeorge B. McC ollan ;.iiii Horatio Seymour who have been against you
from ihe bnginning, and ihen by g ve joy and coin'ort to the traitois at
Rkihiiiond ? Or will you vole tor Abraham- Lincoln and Keubkn K.
Pbnton, the standard bearers of Union, Libery, and Law?

NEW JERSEY.
The action of those few States where the Democratic party have had
majoriiie- in the legi-latur-B, is eepecially comlusive as to the hos ility of
the McClellan Pendlelnn party to the soldiers' iight lo vote. The session
of the N.-W Jeis y legislalme in the spring of 1864, was besieged with
peliticns presented hy Union members, and ^igned by over tkirly-seven
tAousand c tizens. askiig for the passage of a 8 llii-r's voting law. A care-
fully prepared bill was presented and advocated by the Union members. The
Oopperlead miijoriiy cf the Committee on E ections reported agniiisr the
bid. The minority repoit of Messrs. Jacob Birdsall and Wi liam A. Han-
oocfc, UnioniBts, stated mo«t eloquently and forcibly the reasons why the
bill should pass.
April 6, 1864. The bill was killed by the following vote Union, yea* :

10 D-mourHtic, nays 31 ; among which were he vote of Thomas Dunn

;

English, a notorious in rtliein rebel, and Danitl C'i>rey, who has been im-
piisoneil in Fort Lafayette for treasonable p'aciices.
8ucli is the record of the New Jersey C ppt-rheads. Do the gallant
New J rsey soldiers, the heioes who have foug ft under the brave and no-
ble Phil. Kearney, know why they cannot voio against tie Chicago sur-
render !

,» . PENNSYLVANIA.
In the Keystone State, under old laws passed in 1813 and 1839. sol-
ders ill the field weie secured the right to vote, and exercised the right in •

Um Mexican war. In 1861, also, the irnion sddiers of Luzerine county

voted lor pioscuting atn rnt-y. The defeated cnn.iiilaie carried the ques-
tioo to the Supreme C >urt and that Court decided the laws
to be unuon-
stituiiiDnl and rejected the soldiers' votes.
The opinion was delis-eied by Judge George W. Wondward, who, in it
declar.d that the Uw " pens a wide-door for most odious frauds " and
(
;

joenliingly assertfd, in answer to the argument ti at soldiers meiiioriously

deserve t" have their lij/ht of suffrages preseiv. d and secured to them, "as
court of justice, we cannot I'eel the force of any sueh consideration. We
have no bounty to grai t to soldiers."
Forjudge Wcoawaid's zeal and alacrity ia thus attacking the so'diers
 : :

and thfir liii'it 'o vot<>, and for Ms d 1 r^d sentiments direrlli/ justifyinp
the sonihem rcbi IV'm, he was nomin it^d by the Demcc a ii: |>a 'y f r (rov-
ernoi in 180-'!, hi .1 b idly def< ated l>y G vernor Curtin. Just b«iyr« the
election Oeitrr/e B. MeClellan wiotw ihe following leit>-r

Orange, N. J , October 1>, 18B4.

To H n. CharleR Biddle, Chairman Democratic Central Committee

Dear Sir: . • . • I desire lo stntp that, hnving
Bome ilayn afjo had ft PULL convereation wi'h Judge WoodwHrd I find that huh
VIEWS AOREKD leL'urd his election as
I Governor of PentisylvHtiia as called f' r by
the iii'eiv.'-t of the nation. * • • I would, were it iu my power, give
to Judge Woodwttid my voice and vote-
1 am, very respectfully, yours,
GEORGE B. MoOLELLAN.
Th.- Unionist- of the State —
the poMieis' right to v.^te uncer the old
laws liavi. g bei n clestioyed by Judjje, Woodward's deci i^n imiuei iaiely —
orijfinaed «n niiiHndin«Lt to the Constitution whiili in due curse passed
the L^gisliiuie in 18t)3. In 186t, a* required by the Constiiutn.n, iiajiain
passed ihi- 1,-gsla ue wnd was subiiii t^o lo the pou[.le. T c vo e in ihe
SeuHte W.18 —
\ u IS 18, Uniohi-ts wnd Republicans; niys 7, all C'piier-
heads; and 8 Copperheads dodged. T«o of the Coppei bends were dele-
gat' b 10 tn- C logo Convention.
Tlic 111 jori y be ore the peiiple in favor of the amendment was 94 G07,
with the same n sult-i obseivalde in the vote that existi-d in M due. The
largest liiaj nties fi r the anieudmeit weie in the R puldioan st ong olds,
and ihe only majoiiiies against it were in the Coppt-ihead ei'Uniits.

COPPERHEAD roUNTIES. , UNION COUNTIES.

Miijor'tieg against soldiers voting. Majorities for soldiers voting.

Berks 1934 Lancaster 8933

Colnnibio KI20 Alleghany '.

897*
Caiiibiitt 514 Bradford 4741
ClenrHeld 783 Eiie 894ft
Lehii;li 1023 Chester 4932
Moriioe...' 1186 I
idiana 2807
Nortliamptoii 698 Delaware 2108
Pike 674 Tioga »127
Wayne 777 Susquebanna. 2629

ThMPennsylvrfnia soldiers vole 1 at the election in Oitober and will vote

forPr S'deiit and Viie Pr sident on f'e 8th of November, but do lley
owe tl eii- righi tn vote to ihe Copiierhead party, to Judge Oeorye W.
Wvudwurd, or to Oeorge B. McClMan ^

.: DELAWARE.
In HiiIh U'lHwai'e, in which the Copp-^rheads and traiiO'S still control
the Legi liiure, ol course thd Uuiou s I lier has not bee allowed the rigQt j

to Viite.

Ai a spei-inl session nf the Legislaiure in 1862, Mr. H. H. Appleton, &

Union m-'iii* e:' nf the H 'U-fe. inlrodui'ed a bill entiil-d, "An A -c swcunng
the risihl <i' Miff >i2e lo volunl(er8 from this State." Febru ry 6. 1862,
the vote w^s tnken on iis final passage and the bill was deleated 10 —
Union xeas, 11 C"pperhe«d nays.
 10

Such injuetice as this towards the UDion soldiers rniyht be expected of

s Legisliiture which by a strict party vote indefinitely postponcil resolu-
tioDB approving the conduct of Major Robert Anderson in defrti ding Fori
Samter, which refuses to aid the poor andBufferiig families of Uniun vol-
unteers, or to purchase a lot at the Gettysburg Cemetery for the iiiteimont
of D'-laware's noble dead.
Wty should such Copperheads desire to allow the soldiers to vote ?

OHIO.
In Ohio, at the beginning of the rebellion, by the patriotic and volun-
tary action of the Rrpubli ans 1n waiving their party orgaDizati'>n, the
Stute was carried at theelec^tion in 1861 by a large majority for tlie Union
candidate for Governor, Dnvid Tod, and a legislature was chosen without
reference to old p^rty distinctions, containing a large Union mnjority, com-
posod of nearly as many members of Democratic as of Ri-publican an-
tecedents, the former pretending to be Warmly in favor of the prosecution
of the war and of soldiers^ rir^hts. During the Legislative session, Feb-
ruary 26, 1862, a sol liei's voting bill was introduced and referred hy the
Speaker to three war Democrats, who had pai I special attention to the
subject, and profsesed extreme friendship for the bill. This committee re-
tained the bill five weeks, and reported it only two days before the time
fixed for adjournment, and too late for careful consideration, and by the
Totes of hoth parties and by general consent the bill was postponed to the
next session.
At the session in 1863, the De-^oirats not da'ing to oppose the bill
openly, endeavored to kill it by indirection. A Copperhead amendment
was offered, that no soldier's vote nhovld be cast for an officer in the military
nervice, and voted down — 18 Domocalic yeas, 1 Democialic and 51
Union nays. The Copperheads endeavored lo attach a particular amend-
ment in the H 'Use and failed. The Senate adopted the same amendment,
and in the House, the Copperheads knowing that a disagreement between
the two Houses would detent the bill entirely, now voted against their own
amendment, which the Hosse, to save the bill, consented to adopt, early i

all the Union members and 1 Democrat voting for it, and 23 Democrats

agt-inst it.

In the first elect'ons held after the passage of the law, there were many

oonn'ies where the Ddmoorats had a majority on the home vote, but the
Union c<ndid>.tes were elected by the home and soldiers vote. In many
such ca8"8 C ipperhead county clerks unlawfully acd fraudulently gave
certific-tes of election to the defeated Copperhead cindidates, and this dis-
regard of the Boldiert' voting law caused many elections to be cunte.'-ted
before the c mrts, and in the Legislature, where Copperhead cindidates
were del- rmined to hold oflace against the will of a majority of the legal
voters of tiieir respective couities.
Before the Supreme C>uit the counsel prominent in attempting to
defent the soldiers' right whs T. W. Birtley, now a MClellan nud Pen-
dleton candidate for Elector at large. He notoidy argued thai the liill was
unconstitutional, bui that it was impolitic and destructive of the liberties

of the people, that allowing ihe citizen soldiery of the c luntry, wi o have
left their hoiu>-s and a'e sacrificing their lives to save the libeilies of the
count y, to vote would make the people "the slaves of desp t c power!"
 11

" There is not an inetince upon record, in any ag>3 or conntry, in which p ip"
ular tfovernment has fet-n lireieryed any considerable length of time alter
the evercise of the eleclive franchis'^ has been b^st jwed up n the nnqy in
the field." Ah if the fiC^ soldier voters of the Union are to be compared
to the slavish population of old Rome or modern France, and the liberties
of the people and popu'ar government arc dependent upon the political
asoeu' ency of Vullnndiyham, Pendleton, and Ftmando Wood, and the
succes-i of the bloo ly dei-poiisra of Jefferson Davis!
Foitunately the SupTime Court sustained the law. Judge Raney, the
only Democrat on the bench, alone dissenting ; and the soldiers of Ohio
have the right to vote on the field, as their 40,000 vot>-s for ,lohn Biough
and 2,000 votes for Clement L. Vallandigham have apprised the country.
In the contested elections in the Legislature the Cop[)ei heads unifoimly
voted to deprive the soldiers of the right which they bad exercised to sus-
tain the mosi glaring frauds iipon the ballot box, and to keep in office
Copperheads against the will of the, people and soldiers of Ohio, particu-
larly in a case where a CoppHrhead had obtained his certificate by a forged
poll-book, proved to be fraudulent by the oa'h of the captain, first lieu-
tenant, and first sergeant o( the company, who made the lawful return,
and by a comparison of the forged with the genuine poll book and ihe
muster roll of the comany.
A hill being introduced into the Legislature to amend the former law
and pievent fiaud, wag oljtct^l to by the Copperheads on the ground of
the unconstitutionality of all soldier's voting bills, and was pas^t^il by a
strict party vote, all the Union members voting for it, and nearly all the
Copperheads agiinst it.
Thus have the Democrats of Ohio, by delaying the passage of a soldier's
voting hill, which at fiist tht-y did not dare openly appose, by disputing
the constitutionality of the hill both before and after a deci ions against
them by the court, by tustaing desperate and wicked fiauds upon the
soldiers' right, and opposing all measures designed to prevent a re()etition
of such frauds, proved the utter hypocrisy d their pretended sMnpathy
with and friendship for the soldier; at last, taking a position against the
soldieri' right to vote in any form, su- boldly as Clement L. ValUndiijhain,
George II. Pendleton, an Alexander Long, have dechred iheir treason
against the Constitution and Government for whi ^h the soldiers are fight-
ing.
Is it any wonder that such men fear the Ohio soldiers'' right to vote ?

MICHIGAN.
In January, 1864, a bill allowing Michigan soldiers the right to vote
during the present war and no longer, was originatpd and, supported by
the entire Union Republican party and resi^ted, upon ihe usual pretexts,
by eveiy Copperhead. The Detriot Free Press, and the entire Copper-
head press, oppose the passage of the bill. E. G. Morion, of Monroe, tlie
leading Democrat in the House of Rep^e8entativ^s, oppised the hill in a
lengthy sp-ech. Senators W. A. Clark -ahA. W.E. IFerricr, C'jpperheads,
imitating Bartly, of Ohio, said :
" No Government ever survived the vote
of its armies," Ft-br i .ry 3d, a Copperhead named Gidley moved that the
title of the Act I e : "A bill to teach our soldiers in the field their politioal

duty, our people a disregard of Constitution and law, and to m»>ke our
 12

ele liona a fjirc*-." But the Ucion Men adii' red to the bil', an? wi r--ii ("a rtf
all llie C. ppcili^ad ar;;nra-ut9, aed fiHShed ih" bill 17 a |iarty vit 19 —
Uiiiin, lU (Ji.p|)erlieid Scurttora 69 Uuioii, 23 Co|.perliead Rt-presei ta-
;

tivt-K \oi lif.

Lucius Paltprson, a It-ading CoppeihesH and delegatf t) a r>i-m"(THti<-

Coiiveiiiioii in K'^iit, 1 ouity, u^ed, iu leVr-iicH to ilio C"pi»-ih'->.d StHte
nomiiiHtMiif, ilie f. III. wii g language :" WV must m^ike a sroni; licl-et,

and \( Ihese damned soldiers dou't grt bark to votf, we eliall ciirry tbo
8t.t ."
George W. Peck, a farmer member
Conores*, the most prominent I'T

DriiiociJ<r in the 8iate, ai^d - chairman

cMj/an delefjmi.Mi at tb©
< f Ui M
Chii'Hg. Cunienion. ^aKl lu a speech in M^rch, 1863, liefore the Liinsiug
Dcmouiaiiu A^soeimion :

"You Black Uepuhlicflne began this wa''. You have carried it on fur two
yeai-e. You have eenl jour hell hounds dtiwn South to devastate tlie country,
ami what have \ou dour* You have not conquered the 3outh. You NEVER
C^N conquer them. Ac.d why! Because they are our brethren."
Sui li mill, nnii the party to which ttif-y b Im g, cuuld not well do olher-
wie thuu ippu-e the right of Boidiers iu the field to vote.

ILLINOIS.
Illinois is one of those Slates where by unjust di-trioting, the C pper-
hea'ls. althousjli r^p idnted by the p 'pular vole, have retained i-oniril of
thi^ L-yi-lalurp, and Iiwvh therofore prevent-d the p 'ssfige of a soldier's

votiiifT la*- G ivr^riier Richard, Yatt^s, in January, 18tj3, toriiibly urijed the
L.-t;i.'UtU'c to p ss i-ucb a law, and p<-tiiion8 for ilie same result poured
iut ihe L' giil-iture fom all parts of the State.
i T e Union nieml-er*
ur^' d Hcti'in, the C^ ppeihtads delayed it. The petitions weie referred by
C' ppe ilea votei to thw Judiciary Conimitlee which nrnde im report.
I

Tl e Uni II is'B cffeied rnfolut ons demandino; a report, which at last i-anie.
The C ppeihead majoiity of course opposing t'le bdl as uni^onsiiiuiioual,
and jissi-iting t 'at to invest the so'dur with the aight to vot-, would be
dancieroiis to public liberty. The Union minority claimed ihat the pro-
poseil law was coi stumioiial, and denounc d ih« Cippihead^ ir detam-
iig soldiers who weie |ierilling life and bmb lor the benefit of the
ilie

Ci.miiion country and hurnariity.

In tie del'atrt and on ihe vote the Union members sufpoit-d the bill,
ai d a the Democrats opposed it.
I One prominent Deinu. rit siid: "I
will .ever vote to al:ow die soldieis tlie rii;ht to tyrannize over me. Who
are ihcB- so diers? Th'-y a.vQ organized ruffians and thieves s-iiit by Lin-
coln into lie South on an Abolition crusade."
I

TliH Union memheis urged thit a sol lit-r'a voting law be passed, to be
void if tiie Supreme Court decided is to He uncons'itutional, I'ut the Cop-
perheads, although a ma'iority of the C ouit were Dinocrats, lUfeited tnia
propo-iii in. \ll the Uuiou newspaprtis of the State advocated the
mtanie, and the Deinocatic papers pposed it.
Thus, in the home of Abraham Liniolii and of the lamented Stephen A.
Donga-, who on hi^ dying couch s'.id " man cannot be a tiue Dem-
: A
oc at unless he is a loyal patriot," (Jipp rheads caliing themselves Dem-
oc hts have prevented su h men as the gallant Jnhn A. Logan and the
Doi.le ^o!diers of Illinois from voting because it would be " daugeruua to
pul'lio liberty."
 :

13

WISCONSIN.
In Wisconsin, in the full of 1862, Governor Solomon chI'ciI an i-xtra
LegislHtuie for tiic purpose of iiicreas nur ilm s Id'-is' pay,
teaxi rn ot tlie
nod alluwcd tliein ihe riglit to viie in the field. In liis in-ssHgti he Sind
•'The views of thesn brave and patriotic men 8hon1(3 be benrd thr-im^h theb^iHol-
box mid ehiiuld have proper weight in shaping tlie dtstiiiie* of our in>|<«nlled
•ountry .liHiioe seems to demand that they should he lewurded in a dilfeient
manner for their patriotism Ihnn l>y a loss of one of the most important rights of
citizeDshif), especially in the present crisis."

The C"ppeihend» den >unceil the bill as " one of tlie m st ilang^roiis and
micliifvous political ineisurw ev.-r devi.-ed," and a'so (pp.scil it as ua-
consntiitsonal. Tlie Attirney (Jeneral of Stat»- fu nisli.d tlin A-soiiihly
with a cit-»r and conviticing p ni mi, that the hill was coiisiiiiiotial, but
th" Gopperhi'ads still opposed ihe l>iil, their newsjiapeis a'taiiked it, nnd
pai liainei tnry tactics were res' rie to in ordm 8 d.-ie^t it ; but »t lM.-t, in
I

Sept-"ibi-r, 1862, it passed —

19 Unionists to 7 Copp rlitia Is in thj Senate,
and 52 Uuiunisls to 40 Cpprtit-adi in the Asse ubiy.

THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER.

An inquiry relative to the lijiht to vote of the soldiers iVom other loyal
States, whosH recotd on this siil'ject has not been sinted. wonld imt m ite-
rially alter ihe general conulu^io l^ to be drawn from a sui vev of tlie whole
field.
In Massachusetts the present constitution does not allow the passase oi
a Foliiii-it.' voti' g law, and th.- p ocess of amending the condiiu ion is so
difiiciilt that the light could not be secured to the toldier in I'-ss t lan two
or tiiref- vears.
In Calit'orniM, Iowa, Minneso'.a, and Missouri, by ihp effort-* if t •? Union-
ists, and airainsl iht opposition of the Cobperhead', tbe soldiera' light to

vote has bren more or less pe lectly secured.

In Indiana the Legislature, controlled by treasonabl" Oopp rln a Is who
have eviy attempt of the people's Governor, 01 v r P. Mort n, to
resisted
raise men and money for the support of the Gov.-riimrtiii and the dusliuc-
tion of the reballion, has refused the Union soldier tbe r "ht to vote.
The c inclusiou of the whole matter may be stated in a few words:

ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND ANDREW JOHNSON ARE

FRIENDS OF THE SOLDIERS' RIGHT TO VOTE.
The Union Republicans of theloyal States have uniformly '>nd p-^r.sistently
advocated the soldiers' right to vote. In States where the Utnouists have
had a majority they have origins ed soldieis' voting bills iheii newspapers ;

and public speakers have urged their passage; if consiitut'oiial obju-tions

have been made they hsve cootended for the'r constiiat onal ty in b-g sla-
tures and before courts if real ci/nstitutional difBculiifS have ex's'ed they
;

have piopospd and carried throu:/li the necessary con-^titu-ional ainend-

raeiits; and, at list, after eneountering innumerable difBcnliii s and over-
coming wiyelding Copperheid hostility, the right of ti:.- Uni' n s lid er to
vote for Presidential electors has been establishtd in the contiolling States
 !

14

of NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, and OHIO, and (ex epting Mas-

Bach usefor reasons before slaved) IN EVERY OTHER STATE WHERE
t,R

THE UNION REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS HAD COMPLETE PO-

LrriCAL CON ROL. In short, ABRAHAM LINCOLN and Lis suppor-
I

and unquaiijied champions ox

ters stand to-day as ti;c distinct, positive
THE soldiers' RIGHT TO VOTE. Inlo the hands ot the Union sjldier.s in ihe
field ibey have placed the decision of the Preeidcniial contest ot 1864, and
do not fear to await the result

GEORGE B. McCLELLAN AND GEORGE II. PENDLETON

ARE ENEMIES OF THE SOLDIERS' RIGHT TO VOTE.
On the other hand the McCleilan Demoorats of the North have been
from the beginning ol the rebellion persistent and deteimined oppunenta
of the soldiers' right to vote. During the first year of the w»r, and in one
or two States where they have been in a hopel^^ss minority, ihey have
made ihtir opposition seoretly or upon hypocritical prttetti'es. But with
only this qualific-atiun the Copperhead leaders hnve altaeked the soldi- r»'
riglii at all linii-s, in all iiIhcbs, and uuderall circumstances; denouiiceing
soldiers' voting .ws us unconstitutional, and if constitutional, tis inexjicdini I,
I

IMPOLITIC, and DANGEROUS TO LIBERTY; .vt-mpting to defeat tlieni

by disiioQi's-t and disgra^.-ful expedients; and b^.^i It.-s and worse thnn tliia
malis;naiit hostility to. their right to vote, attacking, slandering, and
DEFAMING THE SOLDIERS THEMSELVES, whose alisonce figl.ting against
rebels Ht tile S mtn, pivveuts them from repelling these cowiirdly assau ts
from rebels at hoiii^. TIu'sh McClollan Democrat-' have opposed the sol-
dieis' right ii) lias been tstablished by
vote in every State where the riglit
U'l^n majorit'es, and in Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and Delaware,
theoul) Si-it where lliero has been an absolu.- (J 'pperhead legislative
.s

m jortj, notwithstanding the earnest efforts of the Unionists of ih.ise

Slates, 'h- soldie s have been refused and defrauded of their just and con-
stitutional rii/ht to vote. lu short George B M Clelan, now a Vlajor-
Gt-nerai in the U n 1:1 Array, and his supoorters ^taiid to d-iy as open, bit-
KNEMIES OF THE RIGHT OF THE SOLDIERS OF
iermulif/nant
THAT UNION ARMV TO VOTE. In the hands of ihei-e ..o.ie -oMi. rs
upon whoso f-ii liruliie-s and bravery, upon whoae suflForings and d-ath
depend Hie momentous question whether there shall be saved a C -nst'tu-
tioii, a Union, oi a oountr) for the American pen, le, the VlcClellan Cop-

perheads daie not a so trust the decision whether ABRAHAM LINCOLN

or MajoVGen. rai GEORGE B. McCLELLAN shall be the next President
of ti'e United St -les.

Soldiers of thf Union, upon your action dep- nds the fate of this na-
tion. You cm t>y bullet and bayonet destroy the southern rebellion and
secure tlie blessings of pea e and a restored and jie petual Union to your-
selves and the people cf the whole country. You will also decid'i the
result of the Pro.-ideutirtl election now at hand. In the great central
Slate.-, winch will settle the contest, and in most of the other loyal States
the solders have beer, ascu.ed the right to vote by the persistent eflfotts of
those Un'on ciiizeus, wi.o believe that those who fi^ht for their couuiry,
•h.-uhl ISO he a hiwed to vote while fighting. The polilieal sentiment
which will, therefore, be formed in the army, will long before the election
 15

»end to the people at home a moral impnlse, which will have a controlling
influence upon the home vote, and determine the result in the country.
With these great results in your hands — the destruction of the
rebellion
and the election of rulers of the nation —
th« hope and fnilh of every
it is

trm Union citizen that while with victorious arms you arc conquering the
rebellion in your fron ,
you will also by emphatic and
patriotic votes re-
buke the enymies in the rear, who would
seek to negotiate a peace by the
iurrender of all thit your valor has conquered, and that you will elect those
candidates whose nomination was not cheered, and whose election will
not bH applauded bj^ the rebel armies — ABRAHAM
LINCOLN and
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Citizens of the Union, you are called upon for the first lime to vote
for a President and Vice President while the country is engaged in a war
for its existence among the nations of the earth. Your soldiers in the fieJd
have been sfti-ured the right of suffrage, and will vote on the 8ih of No-
vember. Will you vote aa conscientiously and as fearlessly as they ?
The questions at 'issue in the political contest are the same as these for
which they arc fighting. Let not the people at home desert their soldiers
in the army, but let them ascertain their sentiments, realize their convic-
tion", and let the verdict on election day show that the PEOPLE and the
SOLDIERS are one and undivided, opposed to TREASON and REBEL-
LION, O|)|)osed to COWARDLY SURRENDER '.nd DISHONOR, and in favor of
maintaining, at all hazards, without comprom'tsK with traitors in arms, the
CONSTITUTION AND THE UNION OF THE UNITED STATES.

.Jt..
 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1864.
UNION CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.
Hon K D. MOR(iAN', of NewTork. Hon. E. B. WA-;HBIIKNK. of illinoU.
• JA.S. H^PJ.AN, of Iowa. " R. B VAN VALKENBL'KG, N.T.
- 1^ M. Ml >KRI LL, of Maine.
" J. A. OARFIKLK. of Ohio.
iHeuate.) " J. G BLAINK, of Mnitie.
( fj»u9e of Jifpref-eutahves )

K. D MORGAN, ''//'oirmon. JA3. HARLACT, TVmotikj-. D.N Cl)l>LEY, See'y

CoMMiTfEE Rooms, Washington, D. C. S'pt. 2, 1864.

Dkab Silt Tlie Union Congressioiiiil Committee, in addition to
:

the doctiriieiits already publialied, propose to issue immediately

tJie tiillnwiii:^ diibiiments tor distribution among tiie people :

1. McClelUin's Military Career Reviewed and Exposed.

i. Geor<re H. Pendleton, his Disloyal Record and Antecedents.
Tiie Chicago Copperhead Coavention, the Men
3!
who Com-
posed and CcmtroUed it.

4. BiiseSnrrenderof the Copperheads to the Rebels in Arms.

5! The Military and Naval Situation and the Glorious Achieve-
ments lit our Soldiers and Sailors. •

6. A Few Plain Words with tJie Private Soldier.

7 What Lincoln's Administration has done,
s! The History of McClellan's "Arbitrary Arrest" of the Mary-
land Legislature. , , -nr ^
y. Can iho Country Pay the Expenses of the War^
10. Diicirines of the Copperheads North identical with those of
the Itt-hels South.
11. The Constitution Upheld and Maintained.
12. Rebel Terms of Peace.
13. FeUce to be Enduring, mnst be Conquered.
14 History of Cruelties and Ati-ocities of the Rebellion.
A
15! Evidences of a Copperhead Conspiracy in the Northwest.
16. Sewaril's Auburn Speech.
17. Schuiz's Speech.
18. Copperhead votes in Congress.
19. " Leave P>pe to get out of his Scrape."
30. Shall we ive an Armistice?
)

The above dc ments will be printed in English and German,

iu ei"ht or sixte -nphlets, and sent postage free accord-

ino' to directions,
' of one or two dollars per hundred
copies. The plans ,:.ose8 of the Copperheads having been

disclosed by the action 01 the Chicago

Convention, they sliould
at once be "laid before the loyal
people of the country. There IB
election, and leagues, clubs,
but two months between this and, the
their orders.
•md individuals should lose no time in sending in
Remittances should be made in Greenbacks or drafts on New

York City, payable to the order of James Harlan.

Address— Free.
Hon. JAMES HARLAN,
Washington, D. C.

Yery respectfnlly, yours, &g.,

D. N. COOLEY, Secretary

=200